Jupiter nearing stationary, high in evening sky

Event Date: January 28th

Time: 7:52(.45) PM

Brief

   Jupiter is transiting at a better hour about every two weeks, for the benefit of those who need to go to bed early: whether it be young children needing their sleep, or [older] others being rested for work (i.e. yours truly some mornings!) or any other reason.  At the time above, it is at is highest for the evening, and can be seen not much lower 2+ hours before transit, when it first becomes visible in civil twilight.  The closer we view it to transit, the further out of atmospheric pollution it is.  Take a look here, as I include the meridian and show Jupiter at 73º in altitude, as a result of being 20.8º in declination.

click on images to enlarge: courtesy of Starry Night Pro Plus, version 6.4.3, by Simulation Curriculum Corp.

Detailed

   Being almost exactly where the Sun is in the sky at the end of April, Jupiter is placed high enough that if viewed an hour before or after transit, it is less than 4 1/2º lower in altitude; hardly noticeable to the eye as seen from most northern latitudes.  Also, if you have kept track of my Jupiter entries in recent months, you may recall that it has been viewed in proximity of the Taurus star clusters: the Hyades and Pleiades.  Also, you may have noticed that it has not changed in position much over the last few weeks, in relation to these clusters.  That is because--as mentioned not long ago--Jupiter is reaching the end of its retrograde, and ready to go stationary.  It has reached elongation 117º east of our star tonight, as we have pulled far enough away from it our orbit and hardly seeing it move west to east against the stars anymore.  During the early morning hours of January 30th, about a degree less in elongation, Jupiter reaches stationary.  This may seem dull to talk about, yet think about this: after it starts accelerating in pro-grade again, it will begin to move slightly more north each day, week, and month.  It will move closer to where the Sun is at the June solstice, and reaches its highest in the sky that its orbit puts it.  By the time it starts its next retrograde in early November, Jupiter will be well into Gemini, and only slightly south of where the Sun is on the June solstice.